Fresno Unified interpreters allege threats, say district failed to protect them

Four Fresno Unified interpreters said threats of violence had become so severe at Phoenix Secondary Academy that some stopped reporting in person and used sick leave or unpaid leave to keep from returning to work.

The interpreters spoke publicly at a Fresno Teachers Association news conference on Monday, May 18, describing death threats, physical aggression and a climate they said the district did not adequately address. One interpreter, Chantel Cox, described a student allegedly throwing a desk, punching a wall until it bled, and smearing blood in the room. Other interpreters said a student threatened a school shooting, while social media posts suggested access to weapons. In one account, a student said he would kill staff with a gun and then kill others too.

The dispute quickly became a question of workplace safety and district liability at Phoenix Secondary Academy, a Fresno Unified district community day school in the Sunnyside area. The campus, located at 5320 E. Church Ave. in Fresno, serves a small population of students and is listed by the California Department of Education with 78 students, including 13 English learners, or 16.7 percent. Ed-Data lists 2025-26 enrollment at 61. Fresno Unified describes the school as one that emphasizes positive behavior, accountability and community, while the state lists Mark McAleenan as principal.

Fresno Unified said it was investigating multiple recent incidents at Phoenix Secondary Academy, but did not release details, citing student confidentiality and the ongoing probe. District safety materials say Fresno Unified has a School Resource Officer liaison through its Safety/Security Office and a Comprehensive Safe School Plan for principals, faculty and staff. California Department of Education guidance also says school threat assessment teams review threatening behavior by students, employees, parents or others.

After the interpreters made their allegations public, reports said they were no longer reporting in person to Phoenix Secondary and students were being served by online interpreters. The district later posted an open letter from Phoenix Secondary staff pushing back on the claims and saying the outside snapshot was not an accurate depiction of the campus, turning the issue into a direct fight over whether the school’s safety response was sufficient and whether language-access workers were left in high-risk situations without enough protection.